Dos and Don'ts

Breaking news: sleep is important.

And right now with all that is going on, sleep can be pretty elusive. Like an armored mewtoo. (You know, if we still lived in a world where we could go outside and play Pokemon Go. We’ll get you yet, Mewtoo.)

Why is sleep important? Good sleep can lead to improved weight management, a healthy heart, lower stress, and a gooder brain (sorry, we didn’t get much sleep last night). And poor sleep can lead to the opposite of all those things including type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Yikes.

So let’s dive into the dos and don’ts of a proper night’s sleep.

DON’T

Don’t go to bed at 10 one night and 2 am the next. Sleep isn’t a suspicious van following you home – you’re not trying to evade it.

Be consistent. Go to sleep at the same time each night and wake up at the same time each morning. Yes, even on the weekends.

DON’T

Don’t eat an entire cheesecake before bed. Eating late at night alters the body’s circadian rhythm which can affect your hormones, digestion, sleeping pattern, and even memory.

Stop eating a couple of hours before you go to bed.

DON’T

Don’t drink espresso before bed.

Cut off coffee 6-8 hours before you go to bed. So, for example, if you go to bed at 10, put down that Frappuccino at 2 ish. Put it in the fridge, though, because it’ll just get gross on the counter.

DON’T

Don’t sleep at Chuck E. Cheeses.

Create a restful environment in your bedroom. Use blackout curtains or an eye mask to block out ambient light. Use a white noise machine or earplugs to block out ambient sounds.

DON’T

Don’t crank the heat to 80, put on flannel pajamas, and climb under cotton sheets. You will overheat and invariably wake up sweaty and frustrated.

You sleep best when your body temperature is in the thermoneutral zone. In other words, a temperature that doesn’t provoke you to sweat or shiver. So, set the temperature in your bedroom to anywhere between 60-67 and (ideally) sleep naked. And ditch the cotton sheets (especially in the summer) for, say, some 100% eucalyptus sheets. We know a guy who sells them cheap.

Good sleep is important

Weight gain, brain drain, heart disease, type 2 diabetes.

Stick to a sleep schedule. Go to bed and wake up at the same time.
Don’t overeat, don’t undereat. Avoid caffeine and sugar and nicotine and alcohol. Don’t eat too late.
Create a restful environment. Blackout curtains, white noise machine, eye mask, temp between 60-67 degrees.
Limit naps to 30 minutes, not too late in the day.
Go outside, exercise
Manage worries during the day. Meditate, journal, exercise, talk, read, listen to relaxing music, take a bath or shower.
Reduce blue light exposure 2 hours before bedtime.
Invest in a good mattress and bedding.